Lubrication is necessary for efficient operation of various engines and motor devices. In various devices such as internal combustion engines, lubrication oil is recirculated through lubrication passages defined in the engine during routine engine operation. An associated reservoir such as an oil pan contains the lubrication oil between periods of engine operation and also holds excess or reserve oil during periods of engine operation.
In order to maintain the engine and ensure proper engine life, it is necessary to remove spent engine oil and replace it with fresh or reconditioned material. It is desirable that these oil change operations be accomplished in an efficient, environmentally friendly manner. In many situations this includes the use of automated oil change devices.
The effectiveness of any oil change removal operation, be it automated or manual, is dependent on effective evacuation of the oil pan during oil change operations. Solid waste, residue, and degraded oil products collect in the bottom of the oil pan. If these materials remain during evacuation, they can mix with the newly added material. This can reduce the life and effectiveness of the newly added material. In certain instances, the solid waste, residue, and degraded oil can accumulate in the oil pan over time creating an undesirable sludge that is difficult to remove.
This problem is compounded by the location of the drain plug opening in the associated oil pan. Depending on the specific architecture of the oil pan and the associated vehicle, the drain plug opening may be located in a region of a side wall of the oil pan. This oil pan architecture can make it difficult to accomplish complete effective spent oil removal, particularly in high speed automated or semi-automated oil removal/change operations. To date, no effective method or device has been proposed to achieve complete evacuation of oil pans, particularly oil pans having irregularly configured or positioned drain plug openings.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a device, such as a drain tube, that can be used with oil pans to facilitate effective and efficient removal of spent oil from the interior of the oil pan. It is also desirable that the device be capable of facilitating reciprocal filling of the oil pan with fresh oil where desired or required.